Former Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer says president Uli Hoeness will not relent in his efforts to convince Jupp Heynckes to extend his stay at the club beyond this summer.
Sammer, 50, left Bayern in 2016 after suffering a brain illness and now works as a pundit for Eurosport.
Since taking over from Carlo Ancelotti in October, interim boss Heynckes has overseen a remarkable turnaround in Bayern's fortunes, cruising 11 points clear in the Bundesliga, racking up 15 wins in 16 games in all competitions -- including a penalty shootout success in the DFB Pokal against Leipzig. Treble-seeking Bayern saw off Borussia Dortmund in the final game before the winter break to seal a cup quarterfinal spot.
In November, Heynckes had ruled out staying beyond 2018 at the German champions, despite Hoeness hinting that his close friend could be persuaded to extend his stay.
However, Sammer said he believes there is definite scope for Heynckes to change his mind.
"It's difficult to say as I know Jupp as a consistent person, who has certain requirements that are binding," Sammer said on Eurosport. "I don't know if it's at all possible for him to alter these - only he can decide this.
"My feeling is that Uli knows Jupp excellently. If he continues to steam in as before, he's not given up hope that Jupp's statement is not set in stone for this summer. This is the currently the case but we all know Uli well enough -- he would not chase a lost cause."
Meanwhile, central defender Jerome Boateng also said the Bayern players would all be in favour of Heynckes extending his fourth term in charge of the club.
"I believe we have all said that that would be nice," Boateng said during Bayern's winter training camp in Doha, Qatar.
Meanwhile, the 72-year-old refused to broach the subject in Doha, saying he would not comment any further on the matter as he "had already said enough."